Author Archives: BenFaulkner

What Are We to Do When Others Have Truly Disappointed Us?

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The BIBLE SPEAKS to us and gives us clear answers to this dilemma.  The examples God provides to us are astounding.

Recall how at Mount Horeb, Aaron disappointed both God and his brother, Moses, by making a golden idol for the Israelites to worship.  The people sinned grievously, pressing Aaron to create this idol.  Then they threw themselves into an evil worship, forsaking the true God Who had just delivered them from the horrors of Egyptian slavery.

Exodus 32:8-9 (8) They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.  (9) And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people:

Of course, this was a terrible departure from God’s clear instructions.  And, God was extremely disappointed and angry.  In fact, He was so angry, He announced that He was going to destroy the people.

Exodus 32:10 10Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

One of the most marvelous lessons from this account of Israel’s sin is how Moses reacted to the matter.

Of course, God inspired and guided Moses.  God made him to be a wise, persevering, and loving leader for Israel.

What did Moses do?  Moses prayed!  He prayed for Aaron even though he realized Aaron knew better than to make the golden calf.  And, he prayed for the ancient Israelites, even though Israel’s behavior was extremely disloyal and wicked.

It takes a special kind of heart to pray for people who disappoint us.  It’s the same kind of heart that Jesus had when He prayed on the last day of His human life.  He prayed in the midst of his suffering.  He prayed for those causing His pain.

Luke 23:34 (a) Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do….

This kind of heart comes only from God.  When we disappoint God, we can access God’s heart toward us through our prayers.  And, God wants us to have the same kind of heart toward others, even those who have greatly disappointed us.  Pray for them!  It’s God’s answer from the Bible.

 

Did Jesus Come to Destroy the Law of God?

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Did Jesus transform the Law into something else?  Did He make it of no consequence to His followers?

In Matthew 5:17 Jesus addressed these questions to the people listening to His Sermon on the Mount.  He clearly told them not to think He came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  Apparently, there was some discussion among the people indicating that He might.

Jesus brought up the subject in order to dispel any error about His relationship to the Law of God.

There have been many people down through the centuries who claim that Jesus’ work of salvation destroyed the Law of God.  They claim He transformed it into a temporary, negative, condemning piece of legislation, and completely did away with any penalty or consequence related to breaking or keeping the Law.

Jesus did no such thing!  In fact, our Savior established the Law.  And, decades after Jesus had died and was resurrected, God inspired the Apostle Paul to label the Law of God as holy, just, and good.

Romans 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Through the Holy Spirit, the Power of Almighty God, Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life so He could be the ultimate Lamb of God Who would take away the sin of the world.

God prepared His own Sacrifice (the life’s blood of our Savior) to cover the debt we owe.  It is a debt we owe because we have all broken the Law of God.  We have incurred the death penalty. But, through God’s awesome and incredible Plan, Jesus has paid the death penalty for us.

Because of His perfect Sacrifice (meaning He never broke the Law of God), Jesus was able, qualified, and willing to die in our place and make it possible for the Almighty God to forgive us and grant us everlasting life as a GIFT!

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal lie through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Which Commandment Did Jesus Break?

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Does the question shock you?  Actually, the Pharisees confronted Jesus about commandment breaking.

John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought to kill Him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was his Father, making Himself equal with God.

Do we believe those words? Did the Apostle John actually write that Jesus broke the Sabbath? Or, did John report the Jew’s accusations?

Many people have been falsely accused of things they have not done, and so it is the case here.  So, how did this happen?

Jesus, Himself, said that He kept the Father’s commandments.

John 15:10 I have kept my Father’s commandments.

But, it’s true that Jesus did break some commandments!  What He broke were the commandments of men!

During their captivity in Babylon around 500 BC and until the time of Jesus, the JEWS, (both Pharisees and Sadducees) created a massive set of their own commandments.  And, they added them to the law of God.  They began to teach their version of what was right and wrong.  In essence, they set aside the commandments of God so they could teach their twisted, distorted version.

Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Jesus is our SINLESS Savior!  He never broke any of God’s commandments!  If He had ever sinned, He could not have become the perfect Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world.  Jesus always submitted Himself in complete obedience to His Father.  This is truth you can count on!